Pac-12 is ready to 'embrace expansion' following Colorado's departure

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff is on the clock.

The power conference on the west coast saw its third member in a calendar year depart from the league officially on Thursday when Colorado announced its intentions to move to the Big 12 for full membership beginning in the 2024-25 school. That is the same time when UCLA and USC will become full-time Big Ten members. The Pac-12 is now down to nine schools and must act soon.

The conference released a statement late Thursday night in a PR attempt to calm the waters.

Statement from the Pac-12 Conference: pic.twitter.com/up5hjSD1ek

— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) July 28, 2023

Kliavkoff is feeling some real pressure. The head of the league has been in television contract negotiations for over a year. All signs point to both ESPN and FOX not being a part of the Pac-12’s new media rights deal. That’s likely not going to sit well with some of the members. Meanwhile, new Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark was able to strike a deal with ESPN and FOX, and that led to this new expansion opportunity for a league that will be losing Oklahoma and Texas beginning in 2024-25. Colorado now makes the Big 12 a 13-team league, and the conference will likely be looking to add one more member. Arizona, Arizona State, UConn, and Utah are seen as the top candidates.

The Pac-12 needs to make a move fast. San Diego State has long been an option, and SMU could also be on the table. For now, this league needs to make sure Oregon and Washington do not go anywhere. Oh, getting that media rights deal locked in would also help.

But if once power conference league were to dissolve similar to the Big East back in 2013, the Pac-12 is now the clubhouse favorite just two years after the Big 12 seemed doomed once the Longhorns and Sooners left.